STUDENT COMPETITION 2017/18 Social Work Education

STUDENT COMPETITION 2017/18 Social Work Education

Social Work Education: The International Journal publishes articles of a critical and reflective nature concerned with the theory and practice of social care and social work education at all levels. It presents a forum for international debate on important issues and provides an opportunity for the expression of new ideas and proposals on the structure and content of social care and social work education, training and development. In this way, the journal makes a vital contribution to the development of educational theory and practice in relation to social work and social care, promoting a set of standards in relation to the written presentation of ideas and experience which reflects the needs and requirements of both practice and education.

SOCIAL WORK STUDENT ACTIVISM COMPETITON

First Prize: £500

(Plus cash prizes of £100 for up to five runners-up)

Following a successful launch last year, Social Work Education: The International Journal is delighted to be able to run the student competition again in 2017/2018. We invite entries from groups of or individual social work/social care/social welfare students from across the globe who are involved in practical, advocacy and/or campaigning projects with their local communities or in support of vulnerable groups. These projects should promote social justice, challenge stereotypes and make an impact on the lives of both the people that they seek to support, and on students’ understanding of themselves and of the role of social work in the 21st century. Entries should report and/or promote these projects, and make reference to the part played by social work/social care students.

Entries should be original, and presented in a format which will be accessible to as many people as possible, and so have the potential to achieve the greatest possible reach and impact. For example, we wish to encourage submissions in the form of blogs, podcasts, videos etc. as well as more traditional articles, reports or posters.

Entries may be in any language. If in a language other than English, an English abstract, summary or subtitles (in the case of a video) must be provided.

Winning entries will be posted on the journal website in March next year, to celebrate World Social Work Day 2018.

The closing date for the submission of entries is 22 January 2018.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. The competition is open to students registered on a social work or social care programme at Bachelors or Masters Level anywhere in the world. 2. Submissions should report practical, advocacy or campaigning projects involving social work or social care students. Students must have been directly involved in initiating the projects, which should be intended to improve the circumstances of or raise awareness about vulnerable individuals, groups or communities. 3. Projects may involve students from other subject areas, services users and carers and/or community members, but entries must be submitted by one or more registered social work or social care students. 4. Entries must state the names of submitting students, and details of their courses and institutions. 5. One reference letter from their faculty or the head of school should be submitted with the entry confirming the authenticity of the submission and that any ethical issues/consents have been appropriately considered. 6. Submissions may be in any format and the judges are particularly interested in innovative formats that will maximise the impact and reach of the work. 7. All entries must include a covering statement of no more than 300 words, in English, summarising the nature of the project/activity, and the rationale for the choice of format should be submitted with each entry. The contribution of the social work/social care student(s) involved must be clearly explained. 8. Written submissions (e.g. articles, reports, blog posts, posters) should not exceed 1500 words. Submissions in other formats (e.g. podcasts, videos, vlogs) should not exceed 10 minutes running time. 9. Where submissions are not in the English language, entrants must provide an abstract, summary, or subtitles in English. 10. Submissions may have already been in the public domain provided that this was not before January 2016 (e.g. entrants may wish to submit a video that has already have been used to publicise a project). If this is the case this should be stated clearly in the covering statement to the submission and Social Work Education: The International Journal must be given permission to disseminate the work via the journal website should a prize be awarded. It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that there are no Intellectual Property restrictions on the material submitted. 11. The competition will be judged by members of the editorial board of Social Work Education: The International Journal. The judges’ decision is final. 12. Entries should be submitted by email to h.f.scholar@salford.ac.uk by 22 January 2018.